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Sperm Methylation Status Predicts Embryo And Pregnancy Outcomes In Male Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$358,411.00
Summary
The incidence of male obesity in reproductively age men is epidemic and continually rising with close to 70% of men of reproductive age classified as overweight or obese. Male obesity is not only associated with sub fertility but also changes to pregnancy outcomes and influencing child health. This project will try to uncover the molecular changes in sperm, providing potential mechanisms for the abnormal foetal and pregnancy health seen as a result of male obesity.
Investigation Of A New Hypothesis That Increased TGF? Activity In Developing Fetal Organs Predisposes A Women To Polycystic Ovary Syndrome And Associated Metabolic Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$583,015.00
Summary
Have you ever wondered why some people get fat and other do not, no matter how much they eat? The answer could lie in what happened before they were born. This project investigates a new hypothesis that was developed from discoveries on polycystic ovary syndrome. Women with this syndrome are at increased risk of becoming overweight and diabetic. If the hypotheses prove correct it might be possible to reduce the incidence of these metabolic disorders in the longer term.
Developmental Programming: Mechanisms And Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$705,501.00
Summary
Disturbances during pregnancy can impact on developmental processes and result in increased risk of disease in later life. This project will examine the impact of perturbations such as maternal stress or alcohol consumption on the development of the placenta and fetal kidney. By gaining an understanding of how these organs are affected by prenatal insults, we are likely to be able to develop more effective intervention strategies to ensure all babies receive a healthy start to life.
Cell Therapy For Prevention Of Perinatal Inflammation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$539,337.00
Summary
Exposure of babies to infection or inflammation before birth is common and is associated with preterm delivery and illness in newborns. The biggest problem for these babies is lung disease due to inflammation of the lungs before birth and/or in response to lung injury after birth. There is no treatment for the underlying inflammation and no way to prevent or treat the lung disease that it causes. This project will investigate a new stem-cell based treatment for lung inflammation that may prevent ....Exposure of babies to infection or inflammation before birth is common and is associated with preterm delivery and illness in newborns. The biggest problem for these babies is lung disease due to inflammation of the lungs before birth and/or in response to lung injury after birth. There is no treatment for the underlying inflammation and no way to prevent or treat the lung disease that it causes. This project will investigate a new stem-cell based treatment for lung inflammation that may prevent life-threatening lung disease in preterm babies.Read moreRead less
Asking QUestions About Alcohol In Pregnancy (AQUA): Longitudinal Cohort Study Of The Effects Of Low And Moderate Doses Of Alcohol Exposure On The Fetus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,368,294.00
Summary
National alcohol guidelines advise women to have no alcohol in pregnancy. However, many find they are unexpectedly pregnant and have been drinking, leading to considerable anxiety. While evidence is clear that heavy drinking is bad for the unborn baby, no-one knows for sure if low or even moderate levels of alcohol in pregnancy are harmful. We will study this important public health problem, following a group of pregnant women through their pregnancy and until their child is two years.
Birth is one of the greatest physiological challenges that we will ever experience and so it is not surprising that it is a period of high risk of death. Despite the risk, our understanding of how infants transition from fetal to newborn life is limited. My research is focused on improving our understanding of how infants make the transition at birth so that we can reduce the risks for these most vulnerable of humans. In particular, I want to improve outcomes for infants born very premature.
Periconceptional Nutrition And The Programming Of Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,879.00
Summary
Mothers who enter pregnancy with a high body mass index are at risk of developing diabetes in pregnancy and of having a large baby who will be at increased risk of developing obesity in childhood and later life. Heavy mothers therefore have heavy babies and these babies go on to become heavy adults. This grant will determine the separate contributions of exposure of the embryo to high nutrition and exposure of the fetus in late gestation to high maternal nutrition.